m.  " 


Review  of  Harris  on  Psalmo<Iy, 


riiE 


E^ 


ANGELICAL 


tr 


'^\ 


PUBLISHED    U^'DER    THE    PATRONAGE    OF    THE   AMERi: 

EVANGELICAL  TRACT  SOCIETY. 


mm 


EDITED    BY 

lAISIlB  R.  Vini.l.SON,  A.M. 


Having",  therefore,  obtained  help  of  God,  I  continue  until 
this  day  witnessing  both  to  small  and  great,  saying  ;.one  olhci' 
things  than  those  which  the  Prophets  and  Moses  did  say. 

.dcts,  XX vi.  2-'- 


PUBLISHED  MONTHLY. 


^®IL.  SSL 


NEWBURGH,  N.  Y. 

printed  at  the  office  of  the  n.  b.  gazettl- 

By  Parmenter  &  Spalding. 

1825. 


THE 
VOL.  III.  Januarv,  1824.  NO,  I. 


cation  was  made  of  this  distinction,  which,  it  is  evident, 
he  never  intended,  though  he  did  not  utter  his  views 
in  a  nn.inncr  sufficiently  guarded.     The  next  step  was 
to  maintain  that  the  sinner  was  not  totally  depraved, 
hut  that  his  understanding  and  memory,  or,  in  more 
modern  phraseology,  his  intellectual  powers,  were  not 
injured   by  the  fall,  nor  in  any  way  depraved.     While 
the  doctrine  of  the  Bible  and  of  the  old  orthodox  divines^" 
is,  that  man  needs   kinctification,   in   his  '^  whole  soul, 
spirit,  and  body,  the  New-England  Salmurensians  lim- 
ited all  depravit}^  to  the  heart,  or  as  they  express  them- 
selves to  the  will,  the  intellectual  powers  and  the  body 
being  left  unpolluted  by  siiK      Intimately  connected 
with  this,  was  the  denial  of  the  imputation  of  Adam's 
sin  to  his  posterity;  for  they  would  have  all  sin  which 
exposes  to  condemnation  voJuntary,  feet  admitting  that 
**  sentence  has  passed  upon  all  men  to  condemnation  on 
account  of  the  transgression  of  one, """^     The  preaching 
of  the^e  errors  seems  to  have  occasioned  the  bruit  of 
the  existence  of  Arminianism  in  Yale  College,  men- 
tioned in  the  Life  of  Df.  Coleman,  as  creating  some  . 
alarm  in  the  New-England  churches,  about  the  year 
1750. 
Though  there  are  no  monuments  of  the  flict  from 

the  press,  we  dan  hardly  doubt  that  those  errors  we^e 
4# 


IJ  Reviezi)  of  Harris  oil  Psahnocly. 

taught  from  some  pulpits  in  Boston,  before  the  College 
of  Cambriflge  decUned  to  Socinianism,  and  before  this 
heresy  was  embraced  by  some  of  the  clergy  of  that 
city  ;  for  no  man  or  body  of  men  ever  receded  so  far 
at  one  step,  as  to  abandon  at  once,  Calvinism,  and  em- 
brace the  Heresy  of  Socinus.  Such  errors  as  are 
detailed  above,  have  in  all  known  cases,  formed  the 
intermediate  steps — the^  are  the  well-known  road 
that  leads  from  the  purity  of  gospel  truth,  to  the  ex- 
tremes of  heresy.  That  they  were  so  in  Boston^ 
scarcely  admits  of  a  doubt,  from  the  disclosures  made 
since  the  open  appearance  of  what  they  call  Unitarian- 
i?ra  in  the  capital  of  New-England. 

Most  of  the  Salmurensian  errors  are  cautiously  intro- 
duced into  the  works  of  Belamy,  who  was  one  of  those 
few  leading  divines  i«  the  Congregational  church,  that 
consolidated  the  system  now  so  prevalent,  and  devised 
secretly  the  measures  for  its  propagation  in  the  Ameri* 
can  churches — measures  which  unhappily  have  proved 
too  successful,  which  have  already  produced  and  still 
threaten  consequences  ever  to  be  deplored.  We  shall 
prosecute  thU  subject  in  our  Bext  number. 

(To  be  continued.) 


REVIEW  OF  HARRIS  ON  PSALMODY. 

The  Ploughman's  Letter,  in  answer  to  some  in- 
quiries on  Psalmody,  by  his  young  friends.  By  James 
Hwrris,  Esq.     Yorkville,  S.*^C.  1B24.     pp.49.     8vo. 

When  some  the  first  English  adventurers,  more  tha» 
two  hundred  years  ago,  were  about  to  set  sail  from  one 
of  the  Eaat  Indian  Islands,  the  king  asked  them,  whethet 


ReDiez^  of  Harris  on  Psalmody.  4o 

they  sung  the  Psalms  oi  David  in  their  own  country  '■ 
The  cliief  and  some  of  his  people  immediately  com- 
menced the  singing  of  one  of  these  inspired  odes.*  By 
what  means  these  remote  islanders  become  possessed 
of  the  knowledge  of  this  part  of  the  ii>spired  Scriptures, 
we  are  not  informed.  But  we  may  safely  infer  that  it 
was  through  the  medium  of  the  Dutch  navigators,  who 
had  formed  trading  establishments  in  the  East,  before 
any  British  vessel  navigated  those  seas.  We  know  that 
ihe  Reformed  Church  in  Holland,  by  an  act  passed  soon 
vifter  the  Reformation,  and  which  is  yet  in  existence, 
ordered  that  the  150  Psalms  of  David,  the  Apostles^ 
Creed,  and  one  or  two  other  short  articles  of  their  For- 
mularies should  be  sung  in  the  praises  of  God,  and  none 
others  were  permitted.  Such,  for  many  years,  wag 
the  law  in  most  Protestant  churches,  and  in  practice, 
the  inspired  Psalms  were  used  generally  to  the  exclv^ 
sion  of  homan  compositions. 

It  is  in  defence  of  these  psalms,  as  the  only  divinely 
fiuthorized  matter  of  the  church's  praise,  that  the 
Ploughman  publishes  his  letter.  He  is  a  plain,  un- 
lettered man,  >vho,  like  Mr.  Haring  on  Hopkinsianism, 
writes  ably  on  an  important  subject  of  controversy. 
The  polemical  discussions,  which,  within  a  few  years 
have  been  revived  on  this  subject,  have  undergone 
some  change  on  the  part  of  those,  who  defend  the  use 
of  uninspired  songs.  When  Anderson,  Clarke,  kc. 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  last  century,  entered  the  lists 
in  favour  of  inspired  psalms,  against  Black,  Latta  and 
Freeman,  it  was  the  age  of  infidelity  ;  and  we  often  see 

*Set  vol.  II.^Mav.  Voy.  »Tjd  Trav, 


44  Review  of  Harris  on  Psalmody, 


n 


the  spirit  of  the  world,  passing,  like  a  dark  cloud,  acrogjl 
the  firmament  of  the  church.     Mack,   &c.  treated  thfl 
psalms  much  more   unceremoniously,    than  Priestley 
did  the  epistles  of  Paul.     That  champion  of  Socinian 
ism,  charged  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  with  unsound 
reasoning,   and  an   inaccurate   application  of  the  01c 
Testament  Scriptures  to  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  priest- 
hood.    But  the  advocates   of  human,  songs  in  divine 
worship,  alluded  to  above,  had  the  intrepidity  to  charge 
the  book  of  psalms  with  not  only  obscurity,  and  unfit- 
ness for'devotional   singing,  but  with  malevolent  and 
malignant  passions.     This  was  adventuring  farther  than 
any  one,  professing  to  be   a  Bible  believer,  much  less« 
any  professed  Christian  minister,  so  far  as  we  know,! 
did  adventure  before  them,  in  attacking  any  part  of  thei 
acknowledged  inspired  Scriptures.     The  spirit  of  the 
age  must  account  for  it. 

The  present  advocates  for  Watts'  Imitations  and] 
Hymns,  and  other  uninspired  odes,  seem  unwilling  to 
go  so  far  in  this  age  of  Bibles,  when  the  dark  cloud  of 
infidelity  has  in  some  measure  passed  away.  Yet  it 
cannot  be  disguised,  that  the  very  argument  which 
they  manage,  appears  almost  to  force  them  into'this 
tremendous  position,  at  which  they  themselves  must 
shudder.  They  must  maintain,  in  order  to  be  consis- 
tent, that  the  Psalms  of  David  are  unfit  for  Christiaa 
worship  ;  otherwise,  why  reject  them  and  substitute 
others  in  their  room  ?  Human  compositions  must  be 
defended  as  superior  to  the  inspired  psalms,  or  why 
use  them  in  preference  ?  Here  is  a  sore  temptation  to 
go  perilous  lengths  on  this  side  of  the  controversy, 
whith  the  spirit  of  the  age  will  not  permit,  and  which. 


RevietJt  of  Harris  on  Psalmody,  45 

we  hope,  their  own  better  judgment,  and  heart  do 
condemn.  Treat  the  Psalms  of  David  with  that  rever- 
ence, which  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost  challen- 
ges, and  little  room  seems  to  be  left  for  disputation.  It 
is  announced  in  the  Pittsburgh  Recorder,  that  T.  D. 
Baird,  A.  M.  is  about  to  publish,  should  sufficient  en- 
couragement offer,  •*  An  inquiry  into  tlie  duty  and 
privilege  of  the  Christian  church  in  the  exercise  of 
sacred  praise.'*  The  object  of  the  work,  is  to  refute 
Ihe  Rev.  Mr.  McMaster*8  **  Apology  for  the  Book  of 
Psalms.''  We  say,  in  the  language  of  the  Religious 
Wonitor,  a  sound,  orthodox,  and  valuable  magazine, 
iublished  in  the  city  of  Albany,  when  noticing  this  pro* 
)0sed  pubHcation  :  **  We  hope  he,'*  the  author,  *'  will 
;vince  for  the  book  of  Psalms,  as  a  component  part  of 
he  inspired  volume,  greater  reverence  than  most  of 
lis  predecessors  have  done,  when  advocating  the  cause 
^hich  Mr.  Baird  has  espoused." 

But  we  must  not  forget  the  Ploughman's  letter.  It 
J  modestly  addressed  to  his  offspring  and  other  rela- 
ons,  who  appear  to  be  very  numerous.  The  style 
lOugh  unpolished,  is  perspicuous  and  nervous,  and 
le  argument  manly,  powerful,  and,  we  think,  decisive* 
iter  having  proved  that  we  have  a  Divine  warrant  for 
le  use  of  David's  Psalm?,  that  the  Psalms  and  Hymns 
r  Watts  are  erroneous  in  many  pointy,  and  having  an- 
vered  objections,  he  goes  on  to  say  : 
'*  No  matter  how  many  good  things  are  in  Dr.  Watts, 
■c.ing  iiis  design  was  lo  supplant  the  book  of  Psalnos 
•th  his  Psalms.  This  is  enough  to  condemn  his  book, 
'oulu  yoa  thiuk  ijny  mnn  to  be  a  friend  to  tlie  Presi- 
^nt  of  the  United  States,  if  he  would  tell  the  Presidetkt 


4^  Reiien:  of  Harris  ©«  Psalmody^ 

that  he  was  his  frienrl,  approved  of  his  measures  ami 
intended  to  do  him  a  kindness  ;  but  at  the  same  time 
told  him  that  he  intended  to  supplant  him  and  to  take 
his  place,  turn  him  out  of  his  office  and  only  let  him  live 
as  a  common  subject  in  the  government  ?  Certainly 
not.  How,  then,  can  you  approve  of  Dr.  Watts'  con- 
duct, when  he  has  done  the  very  same  thing  with 
David  ?  How  much  soever  they  sp^ak  in  favour  of 
the  Psalms  of  David,  they  prefer  Dr.  Watts'.  Let 
eommon  prudence  speak,  were  you  travelling  with 
your  waggon,  and  all  your  property  in  it,  and  shoulA, 
came  to  a  river  over  which  there  were  two  bridges  ; 
the  one  was  of  sound  materials,  of  longstanding,  and  no 
danger  of  giving  way,  and  that  was  safe  for  all  passen- 
gers and  for  any  burden,  but  the  other  bridge  was  of 
lansound  materials,  of  a  dangerous  construction,  and  led 
into  a  dangerous  swamp,  would  not  common  prudence 
direct  you  to  take  the  onfe  that  was  safe,  notwithstand- 
ing the  bad  one  was  the  smoothest  covered. 

"  So  this  is  the  very  case  with  regard  to  Psalmody  • 
ihc  book  of  Psalms  is,  beyond  all  doubt,  a  safe  way;  the 
prophets,  apostles,  martyrs,  reformers  and  Christ  him- 
self have  all  gone  in  this  way.  This  book  stands  in  the 
very  way  that  Ezra  the  scribe  left  it,  when  he  made  the 
selection  under  the  spirit  of  inspiration  :  but  this  other 
bridge  or  way,  by  every  flood,  is  altered,  changed, 
amended  and  repaired  every  few  years  :  and  indeed  it 
needs  it,  and  it  will  lead  them  into  strange  and  unsettled 
principles  ;  and  every  erroneous  sect,  at  its  first  outset, 
will  throw  away  the  book  of  Psalms  and  get  a  Hymn 
book,  with  all  their  errors  plainly  held  out  in  it,  so 
that  they  will  not  only   preach  their  errors,  but  siAg 


Ueviexs:  of  Harris  on  i^saljnody,  47 

theai,  which  is  ten-fold  worse  ihun  when  it  is  preached, 
for  all  must  join  ;  hut  when  it  is  preaclied,  it  is  only 
held  out  for  their  consideration  ;  this  consideration 
ought  to  make  a  church  or  minister  very  careful  that 
nothing  that  is  possible  for  to  be  erronoos,  sl-ould  b^ 
admitted  as  the  mailer  of  our  songs  and  praise  ;  and  if 
there  is  an  error  in  the  Hymn  we  sing,  how  is  it  pos- 
sible for  us  to  be  right  ?  If  we  do  what  God  commiinds, 
we  are  on  safe  ground." 

He  then  proceeds  to  a  considerably  ample  historical 
deduction,  in  which  he  demonstrates  that  the  practice 
of  the  church  in  her  purest  parts  and  best  times,  is  in 
favourof  the  use  of  David's  Psalms.  His  comparisons 
are  remarkably  striking  and  appropriate.  Take  the 
following  example  ; 

'^  My  nephews,  of  whom  I  have  upwards  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  of  the  first  and  second  line,  all  within  25 
miles,  besides  those  that  are  far  off,  all  which  are  in 
the  habits  of  friendship  with  me,  and  I  am  confident 
will  attend  to  what  I  say,  as  to  what  the  scriptures 
principally  teach.  Soaie  of  you  are  well  established 
in  the  present  truth,  others  are  unsettled  and  need  some 
advice.  I  offer  this  as  my  last,  as  one  that  has  a  great 
desire  to  see  you  walking  in  the  way  to  peace  and  hap- 
piness, and  this  can  only  be  attained  by  knowing  the 
truth  and  walking  in  it.  Never  give  up  the  book  of 
Psalms  which  hath  a  positive  command  to  be  used.  No 
scripture  inference  will  be  admitted,  in  order  to  set 
aside  the  commands  of  God.  1  deny  that  there  is  one 
single  text  in  all  the  New  Testament  to  make  a  Hymn  ; 
the  advocates  of  Hymns  always  fly  to  Col.  iii.  16,  and 
Eph.  v.  19,  for  their  scripture  warrant.     But  in  these- 


48 


iieview  of  Harrison  Fsalmodi/. 


texts  there  is  nothing  about  making  Hymns,  but  onh; 
using  those  that  were  already  made.  Would  you  not 
easily  understand  the  impropriety  of  such  conduct  upon 
such  directions  in  temporal  things.  Were  vou  to  or- 
der your  servants  to  take  an  aie,  mattock  and  plough, 
and  go  and  chop,  grub  and  clear  such  a  piece  of  ground 
and  plough  it  ;  if,  when  you  go  to  see  how  they  were 
doing,  you  wound  find  them  all  making  new  kinds  of 
ploughs,  you  would  say,  What  is  this  you  are  about  ; 
did  I  tell  you  to  go  and  make  ploughs  ?  had  you  not 
good  ploughs  ready  made  ?  why  did  you  not  chop, 
grub  and  plough  as  I  told  you  ?  I  told  you  nothing  about 
making  new  ploughs  and  behold  you  are  disputing  about 
which  of  your  new  ploughs  is  the  best  ;  you  tind  that 
they  need  altering,  and  so  you  are  spending  your  time 
in  mending  that  which  will  never  answer  the  purpose." 
The  extracts  given  are  a  sufficient  specimen  of  his 
manner.  We  earnestly  recommend  this  pamphlet  to 
the  attentive  perusal  of  our  readers. 

Until  within  a  few  years  no  kind  of  instrumental 
music  was  permitted  in  the  Congregational  churches 
of  New- England.  Latterly  in  some  churches  the  bass 
viol  has  been  introduced.  An  organ  has  lately  been 
constructed  in  New-York  for  a  Congregational  church 
in  New-London  (Connecticut).  Anciently,  in  the 
churches  of  that  section  of  the  country,  David's  Psalms 
only  were  sung,  and  that  by  the  whole  congregation — 
then  Watts'  were  introduced.  Next,  the  whole  busi- 
ness of  praising  God,  was  committed  to  a  choir — gene* 
rally  some  young  people  on  the  gallery — all  others 
being  silent.  This  is  now  the  common  practice.  A 
good  organ  will  prevent  the  words  sung  by  the  choir 
from  being  heard  :  it  will  be  music  only.  Query.  Of 
Ivhat  use,  in  that  case,  will  any  psalms  be  of  to  the  con- 
gregatign?  May  not  psalms  be  dispensed  witb  altogether*? 


